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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28895238">red light kiss</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/ifthebookdoesntsell/pseuds/ifthebookdoesntsell'>ifthebookdoesntsell</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>The Prom (2020), The Prom - Sklar/Beguelin/Martin</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Dates, F/F, Fluff, Pre-Canon, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, i love them, this is just an excuse to write them super soft tbh</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-01-21</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-01-21</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-13 09:36:04</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,090</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28895238</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/ifthebookdoesntsell/pseuds/ifthebookdoesntsell</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Maybe the best thing about going on dates out of town is the anonymity of it. </p><p>It’s only their third time leaving Edgewater; this time, they’ve decided to drive the hour to South Bend, but Alyssa already knows she loves it, wants to be with Emma like this all the time. </p><p>Without the fear of being spotted, they can walk down the street with their fingers brushing, stumble into a pizza parlor and hold hands under the table, buy each other ice cream and try to steal glances when they think the other isn’t looking. </p><p>(Or, the one where a taste of being in public is nice.)</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Alyssa Greene/Emma Nolan</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>14</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>59</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>red light kiss</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>hey y'all! here's a quick little one-shot i wrote last night because i was feeling really soft lmao. it's meant to be set pre-canon and a little while into their relationship. </p><p>i hope that you enjoy.</p><p>(title from and fic inspired by miki ratsula's song "red (demo)")</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Maybe the best thing about going on dates out of town is the anonymity of it. </p><p>It’s only their third time leaving Edgewater; this time, they’ve decided to drive the hour to South Bend, but Alyssa already knows she loves it, wants to be with Emma like this all the time. </p><p>Without the fear of being spotted, they can walk down the street with their fingers brushing, stumble into a pizza parlor and hold hands under the table, buy each other ice cream and try to steal glances when they think the other isn’t looking. </p><p>She can wipe away Emma’s inevitable whipped cream mustache, find home in the way her eyes light up, ask for extra napkins and point to Emma as the culprit for the wasted paper, call the blonde her <em> girlfriend </em> to the employee behind the counter with a pride pin on his apron. </p><p>It’s freeing, especially when he smiles, somewhat surprised, and hands over the requested items along with another free scoop, pressing a finger to his lips as if to say <em> our secret.  </em></p><p>The simple gesture makes her feel real in herself, makes her suddenly know what it is to be a part of the community she’s so long had to shut herself away from, makes her grin back with a nod and wink before she wanders back over to the little table in the corner where Emma is still trying to lick sugary sweetness from her lips. </p><p>Alyssa allows herself to be transfixed by the movement even as she shoves the napkins over, faking annoyance though she knows it comes off more like reluctant affection. </p><p>“Thanks!” Emma exclaims, snatching one up and wiping at her mouth before she leans over, comfortable in her movements for once when she kisses Alyssa’s cheek. </p><p>Alyssa blushes, instinctively looking around for a moment before it hits her that nobody really seems to care. It makes her long to always have this, to always be able to wave goodbye to the man at the counter who seems even more pleased with his handiwork when he spots Emma dragging her out of the parlor, final cup of ice cream still in hand and rambling about a spot she researched that has an awesome sunset view. </p><p>Her heart is practically on fire when Emma intertwines their fingers once more the moment she’s pulled out of the parking space and puts the car back into drive, squeezing with an earnestness that seems to flip Alyssa’s insides, puts her at ease in a way that she hasn’t been in days.</p><p>Emma makes her feel safe. Emma is the perfect mix between home and escape, is the person in which she’s both lost and found herself. </p><p>Her eyes study her girlfriend, the way the illuminating streetlights have begun to cast her face in a perfect glow, reflecting off her glasses in a way that makes hazel irises shine even brighter than normal. She traces Emma’s jaw, the roundness of her cheeks, the bridge of her nose, committing every detail she can to memory for later, for when she feels lonely, for when they return to Edgewater and this quiet, perfect fantasy is broken. </p><p>When they stop at a red light, a thought suddenly comes to head. She checks that it’ll be a long wait, notes that it’s not four but five different directions that traffic is coming. In this moment, it already feels as though the world has stopped, as no light has changed color yet, but when Alyssa finally musters the courage to squeeze Emma’s hand back, to watch the way her girlfriend looks at her with such adoration, she finds that everything inside her has stopped, too. </p><p>This is what she’s always wanted: this freedom, this simultaneous glaciality and speed, to be able to lean forward, to kiss Emma at a red light with cars around, with the windows down, and not have to fear. </p><p>She seals their lips together, places every declaration of love she can on Emma’s lips without saying a single word, revels in this tiny sliver of forever she’s finally been able to catch in the palm of her hand. </p><p>Her heart picks up its pace as Emma lets go of her hand to cup her neck, to pour back the passion she’s receiving until they’re both breathless, both aware of the sudden liberation that’s washed over them. </p><p>They both smile into it, kissing until green overwhelms the moment and Emma quickly pulls away to press a foot on the gas, flush on her cheeks almost matching the tint of the traffic light. </p><p>Emma navigates to the outlook like she’d promised without any more stops, turning up Ben Howard and singing along, addressing every love song to Alyssa, both of their hearts beating in time with the music as they both grin, blush, look at each other as though they’re the only two people in the world. </p><p>Emma pulls the car into park, humming along to the song, turning to Alyssa as soon as she can, leaning over the console again without a single word, pausing just before their lips touch, basking in the fragility of the moment. She nudges Alyssa’s nose with hers, smiles when her girlfriend reddens, pulse stuttering when the girl gasps when she finally kisses her for real, sinks into it until they’re passing breath between them like secrets. </p><p>She supposes that this moment could be considered secret, and yet, it feels the most loud they’ve ever been: kissing on a cliff, Your Song crackling through the pickup’s old radio, one of her arms wrapped around slim hips and the other tangled in curly hair that’s for once falling free and wild over Alyssa’s shoulders. </p><p>They exchange quiet words between their movements, giggle until there’s no more laughter in their chest to be spilled, waste the evening away as the sun descends, settle into the comfortable darkness of dusk, discuss everything and nothing until they cannot be described as anything but purely <em> happy. </em></p><p>Every kiss feels like summer and perfect guitar chords, like surrender, like taking down a wall one brick at a time. </p><p>“You’re beautiful,” Emma murmurs into Alyssa’s mouth, honest and steady. </p><p>Alyssa quivers slightly. “So are you.” </p><p>Emma isn’t prepared for that. A flush spreads through her face again. She presses them together again, unsure what else to do. </p><p>There are other cars parked nearby, but neither of them care. Tonight is about them, about finally being <em> them, </em> about firsts, about red light kisses and ice cream. </p><p>It’s about finally knowing freedom.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>so. what did you think? i really hope that you liked it. if you enjoyed, consider dropping me a comment/kudo down below. it would make me smile. </p><p>as always, i'm @ifthebookdoesntsell on tumblr. my askbox is always open for prompts or whatever you've got on your mind. </p><p>be safe x</p></blockquote></div></div>
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